Australia set to compete in World Para Athletics Championships in Paris

Key points

• Australia’s elite para athletes will take to the world stage, with the World Para Athletics Championship taking place July 8 – 17, 2023 at Charlety Stadium in Paris, France

• Australian competitors will take part for the first time since 2021

• 1330 athletes from 107 nations are set to attend

The Australian team of 39 para athletes, including seven world champions — Michael Roeger, Madison de Rozario, Jaryd Clifford, James Turner, Corey Anderson, Cameron Crombie and Vanessa Low —  eight world record holders — Michal Burian, Evan O’Hanlon, Angus Hincksman, Reece Langdon, Low, Turner, Clifford and Roeger — will reaffirm Australia’s status as a significant force to be reckoned with in the realm of para sporting.

Paralympic champion James Turner is primed to take home more medals in the 100-metre and 400-metre T36-division events, following a prior loss in the Tokyo 100m event.

“The 100m in Tokyo really showed me some blindspots in my technique and mentality for major events. Having something to improve on has really given me a lot of motivation to, as my supercoach, Iryna Dvoskina likes to put it, to train smart,” Mr Turner told Athletics Australia.

“The extended period between major championships has been a blessing in disguise for me. It has allowed Iryna to give me extended long term programs targeting weaker aspects of my running, while accommodating my studying aspirations of getting qualifications for life after sport. This allows me to now focus on doing what I love, and that’s running fast.”

In the lead up to the Championships opening on July 8, para athletes have been training at Athletics Australia staging camps in Montpellier, France and Nottwil, Switzerland, where they will remain until July 6.

Para’23 marks the third time France has held the event, after hosting Para 2002 in Villeneuve d’Ascq, then in Lyon in 2013. Across 10 days of competition, 12 categories of para athletics will be supported by 1500 volunteers — 150 of which live with disability. 

The World Para Athletic Championships is the second largest event of its kind, with the Paralympic Games taking the top spot. Ahead of the 2024 Paralympic Games, held in Paris from August 28 – September 8, this event will encourage Australian talent to push themselves, in order to return the following year.

In a statement, Nine’s Director of Sport, Brent Williams, said the broadcast would provide unprecedented coverage of Australia’s best “[…] taking it to the world.”

“The 2023 Para World Championships is a pivotal event for athletes and viewers on the journey to the 2024 Paralympics in Paris,” said Mr Williams.

On July 11, 2022, a job forum dedicated to people with disability was offered by companies, including some partners of the event. The recruiters intend to offer internships, work-study programs, fixed-term contracts or permanent contracts for people with disability to find work.